A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fireplace mantels, and more particularly to an improved bracket system for installing modular mantels surrounding fireplaces.
B. Description of the Prior Art
The decorative fireplace mantels are for installation on the wall area in front of in-wall fireplaces to become a focal point of the room. Mantels are custom made or mass produced in kit forms. A mantel kit usually comes in component pieces that require more than one person to properly assemble and install on site. Mantels are made of heavy stones, woods or their simulated materials and generally take the shape of artistic architectural design of ancient building or pillar parts.
Among installation tools and materials it is known to use brackets or adhesive glue to assemble and install components of a mantel on the structure wall. Typically, to install a mantel in the kit form involves cutting to suit the dimensions of individual fireplace, assembling a couple of multi-faceted legs with glue, a top cross member, face member and top shelf. Entire hands of family and more are recommended to hold each leg assembly, each of the opposite sides of the top shelf and the face member at least.
In particular, most man-hours are consumed to erect the mantel legs each made up of three or more planar members and glue them to each other one by one with all of their set angles maintained manually until glue is dry and same process is repeated for the second set of leg members. Because of the heavy weight of the mantel members and the dry time of glue, mantel installation has been a demanding job with an unpredictable degree of success for the most layman consumers lacking a simpler means for fixture.
In an ideal situation, the consumer unmistakably follows the manufacturer's instructions from unpacking the mantel components to a successful installation of the mantel completing the transaction in a pleasant mood. However, even with adequate caution misunderstandings or unskilled actions arise and irrevocable damages happen to the stone or other materials during installation, when both parties suffer from extra cost and time for replacement parts.
It is, therefore, necessary to improve the fixture system to ensure a consistent installation success of modular mantel be it a custom-made or mass-produced product.
The conventional bracket method of installation is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,088 at its FIGS. 9-10a suggesting flat brackets with either round or elongated openings through which screws and bolts are driven directly into two adjacent mantel members of legs and breast to couple the same together.
The above and other prior arts have yet to provide a simple means for fixture in the form of a master bracket, which threads through multiple mantel components for fastening to the structure wall in a single step requiring minimum supporting hands and waiting time associated with using conventional glue method.
Accordingly, the general object of the present invention is to provide a positive and simple means to simultaneously assemble and fasten multiple mantel components in unity to the structure wall.